Monday, January 9, 2012

Month #8

Boy are you getting big?? You are 27 inches long and you weigh almost 15 pounds. You continue to sleep through the night and take a morning and an afternoon nap. Finally, you are able to start taking small bites of baby food,stage 1. You love carrots and sweet potatoes! That was a very exciting day to watch you taste food for the first time. You loved it! Therapy continues to well and you are making progress. Your hands are starting to come to midline lying on your back which is a huge accomplishment because that takes so much strength. It shows us that your muscle tone is starting to get stronger and will spread to your neck as you continue to get older.
We took a couple of visits to Doctors, spent a week at Scottish Rite hospital and went to Birmingham to watch the Penn State-Alabama game with Doc! We also went on your first "shopping trip" with Cookie while we were there. We got you some clothes at Once Upon A Time. They were so cute!!
During month 7, you had continued spitting up a lot and it was causing you so much trouble. I was cleaning up spit up all the time and you spit up your medicine almost every time I gave it to you. Daddy and I went to see Dr Meyers, your GI dr,and he set up a meeting with a pediatric surgeon. The surgeon recommended for a g-tube to be put into your stomach since it seemed like you would be eating from a tube for an extended time,and while they did that surgery, he wanted to do what is called a fundoplication. That procedure tightened your esophagus so that you wouldn't be able to spit or throw up. Daddy and I were a bit nervous, but it seemed like the best thing to help you so all the doctors thought. We decided to go ahead with it,and so in September we took you to Scottish Rite Hospital for the procedure.
Nana and Cookie came to sit with us and take care of their "babies" while we took care of you. When we got there that morning you were so happy. The nurses and doctors were so sweet and let mommy carry you all the way back to the double doors until they put you on the rolling bed. I got a few tears in my eyes while I was walking away, but Daddy was strong and made me feel much better. When we got back to our room, Nana and Cookie were there and sat with us while we waited. We talked, read magazines, and tried to keep our minds off of how long you were gone. the nurse called from the OR to let us know they were starting anesthesia and to let us know when they were starting surgery. Everything went wonderfully and they took you to recovery.
You had a hard time coming out of the anesthesia and we had to wait a while to see you. That was really hard for me. I was sitting in your room when they wheeled you down the hall. I stopped in the middle of talking to Cookie because I heard your precious cry down the hall. I was so relieved to see you,but you were so fussy! I think you just didn't feel well, but you cried all afternoon. Daddy held you and got you comfortable (as he always does). Daddy and Nana went to get some lunch for all of us while Cookie and I stayed with you. Nana held you for a little bit, but then she had to leave and go take care of Jackson. Cookie was able to stay so that Daddy could go back to work the next day. Cookie would spend the spend the day with you and me at the hospital, go out and buy daddy and me dinner and then go to her hotel. She did that for three days. On the second day, we were stir crazy and you were happier so we loaded you up in the radio flyer and took you for a walk outside. You loved it!! We spent a few hours doing that over the next couple days. Cookie left the last day and we waited to be discharged from the hospital. When Daddy got off work, he came to get us. Your first (and hopefully last)hospital stay was a success!! You have been so much happier and now are going to be able to really learn how to eat!
We love you little princess and so does everyone else. We are so proud of your progress and will continue to pray every day for you! Here are some pics from the month.
Outfit #1 on shopping trip

Outfit #2 on shopping trip

shirt of outfit #2

Roll Tide, Game #2!!!


Whit & HK...HK is saying "Whit, Bama is soooo much better!" 

Lying with daddy after surgery

I love my daddy!  Happy girl!

Lying in the hospital bed thinking, what is going on?!?!


First time outside in the wagon.  I think she is looking up at God saying, "Thank you Lord for getting this tube out of my nose!" 

BEAUTIFUL face!

Sleeping with mommy in the hospital


Oh hey everybody!  Look at my new face!

"Oh come on Bama!  What are you doing?!?!"

Asleep in the car.

The best napping position

Check out the eyelashes!

Out for a walk

Bama Game #4...Roll Tide Roll

1 comment:

  1. I'm a patient of your dad's and he told me about his precious grand baby last year after she was born. I've been randomly following your blog since and get so much inspiration from it as I can relate having a special needs daughter myself. My 3 yr old, Preslee was born with Down Syndrome. Your father was taken by surprise with her birth as I was since her diagnosis was not detected with blood tests or ultrasounds. He is such a godly man though and great support after her birth! He has such a heart for all babies but now with a special one in his own family, I can tell he has even more of a love for babies like our's. We've been very blessed to not have major health issues but I know so well how precious it is to cherish all those milestones that most take for granted. You are a strong woman and specially chosen to be her mother for a reason. You have a very beautiful baby girl! Keep the posts coming! Wish I would make myself take the time to do the same :)
    Nicki Goodwin

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